Roberto Martinez made his second move of the winter transfer window on Friday evening by bolstering Everton’s options up front. Having snapped up Aiden McGeady from Spartak Moscow earlier this month, the Toffees manager acquired Monaco’s six-foot-eight forward Lacina Traore on loan until the end of the season.
In an interview with the club’s official website, Martinez revealed he won’t be adding any further faces to the squad after landing his two main transfer targets. The Spaniard went on to discuss the characteristics his new frontman will bring to Merseyside:
“As a player he’s got real pace along with his height which is so eye catching. He’s got great coordination which allows him to use that height well to get a good speed. His movement is good too and technically he’s as good as you’re going to see with that height. He brings something completely different and can play in different positions. He can play as a number nine or just behind the striker which will give us really good options in an area we are weak due to the injury of Arouna Kone.”
The History
Traore’s career began in his native country back in 2006 with Stade d’Abidjan. After finding the net 19 times in 27 appearances, he was snapped up by Romanian outfit CFR Cluj in January 2008 and proceeded to score once in six appearances over the remainder of the season. In his first full campaign in Europe, the big target man produced six goals and a pair of assists over 25 league games and, after delivering seven goals and three assists in 13 games the following year, he made his way to Russia to sign for Kuban Krasnodar in February 2011.
In his only season at the club, Traore’s attacking instincts were more than apparent as he scored 18 goals and provided five assists over 38 appearances. Big-spending Anzhi Makhachkala were quick to notice and shelled out a reported €18 million for the Ivorian’s services ahead of the 2012/13 campaign.
Once again, though, the Ivorian didn’t last long in his new surrounds – after returning 13 goals and five assists over a season-and-a-half, he moved to Monaco earlier this month on a four-and-a-half-year contract. Despite a season-ending injury to Colombian forward Falcao earlier this week, Traore was allowed to move temporarily to Merseyside by manager Claudio Ranieri. On the international stage, Traore has produced three goals in five appearances for the Ivory Coast Under-23 side and has also turned out at senior level on seven occasions, scoring four times.
The Prospects
Whilst Romelu Lukaku owners will be somewhat concerned over yesterday’s turn of events, they needn’t worry right now – Traore is currently injured. Martinez does, however, expect the Ivorian to have a real say in his first-team once he’s fully fit and raring to go:
“He is at the back of a soft tissue injury and we need to make sure that’s fully healed before we can set him on the demands of the Premier League. It’s a matter of weeks. I see his role being important for the last nine or ten games of the season. At the moment it’s important he gets to know the players and how we play.”
For now, then, it seems Martinez is content with his options up top, despite allowing Nikica Jelavic to leave for Hull last week. Lukaku, who has started each of the last 17 Gameweeks, seems set to retain the lone forward role, with the versatile Kevin Mirallas perhaps next in line as back-up forward until Traore is available for selection.
Despite Martinez suggesting Traore could play behind the striker, it’s a role more suited to Ross Barkley or even Mirallas, who has scored in each of the last two since the former has been sidelined through a toe injury. Once fit, it seems far more likely that the Ivorian’s pace, power and physique will offer real competition to his fellow loanee for the lone forward role in Everton’s default 4-3-3, with the options in central midfield and out wide plentiful.
The Toffees could undoubtedly do with an alternative up front after Lukaku’s form tailed off dramatically. Eight goals in his first nine has been followed by a single strike over the same number of matches since, with only a handful of very fortuitous assists keeping his points ticking over.
Whilst Traore’s current injury means Lukaku can breathe a sigh of relief, it’s clear his arrival can only have a detrimental impact on the Belgian’s pitch time. Whether it’s replacing him in the first XI or climbing off the bench as a second-half sub, Traore will surely restrict Lukaku’s minutes once he emerges from the treatment room. Surprisingly, Lukaku is still the second most popular forward in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) game and remains in over 26% of squads, but Traore’s arrival may well prove the final straw and persuade many to look elsewhere for a forward alternative and save themselves the inevitable worry over security of starts further down the line.
Yet to be added to the Fantasy games, a cost of 7.5 looks likely in FPL – essentially, this was Jelavic’s starting price as the season kicked off and seems indicative of how the Toffees’ forwards will be valued. For now, though, Traore obviously stays off the radar, but his return to fitness may afford us a potential differential later on in the season if Lukaku continues to falter.
